“These results are worrying because we know lack of awareness can stop sufferers getting the treatment they desperately need as soon as possible,” he continued. “Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses and when people are treated quickly after falling ill, they are much more likely to have a fast and sustained recovery.”

The survey, which asked more than 2,000 adults in the U.K. about eating disorder signs and symptoms, found 79 per cent of respondents were not able to name any psychological symptoms including low self-confidence and self-esteem.

It also found 34 per cent of respondents couldn’t name any signs or symptoms at all, and if they did, 62 per cent believed it was weight loss or being thin.

“They’re not about food,” she tells Global News. “Eating disorders can be caused by many factors… low self-esteem, past trauma, difficulties resolving conflict and negative emotions, bullying, and other psychiatric issues.”

An eating disorder can develop when an individual attempts to treat the lack of control they may have in other areas of their life through extreme control over food and exercise, she says.

“The temporary feeling of relief from the emotions they are trying to stuff down is often followed by feelings of guilt and shame over their food restriction, binging or purging activities… which then leads into a vicious cycle of control and compensatory behaviours again,” she continues.

Warning signs to look out for

And while eating disorders are unique for every individual who develop them, Brian says there are some warning signs people can look out for:

Increased stress and irritability around meal times

Compulsive exercise

Rigid thoughts about food being “good” versus “bad”

Eating alone, or disappearing immediately after a family meal

Preoccupation with weight and body image, which can be accompanied by a distorted view of their size and shape

Hoarding or stealing large amounts of food

Withdrawal from friends and family

“There are other types of eating disorders beyond the ‘top three’ we usually think of: anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder,” she continues. “For instance, clinicians are reporting increasing instances of orthorexia, which is an obsession with eating only ‘clean’ and ‘healthy’ foods.”

A guide for parents

For parents in particular, watching out for these kinds of signs and openly discussing eating disorders with your children can prevent harmful outcomes down the road.

Lam says other signs include shortness of breath, more cavities and enamel erosion of the teeth due to vomiting or eating more acidic foods. Constipation and bloating are also common: “If you are eating irregularly, you are not stimulating your gut.”

Coelho adds sometimes there is just a lack of hunger and this is a result of that irregular eating cycle.

Eating disorders are also associated with symptoms of low self-esteem and negative thoughts about one’s body. Lam says young people (as well as adults), have desires for what they think the perfect body looks like, and may go to extremes to get it.

And with teens plugged into social media sites constantly, it’s important for parents to notice not only the types of conversations their children are having but what they’re doing online.

“What we hear from parents when children come through the ER is they were aware their child made changes to focus on healthy eating and thought it was great,” Coelho says, adding that often, it’s hard to recognize when it becomes a disorder.

“Open and transparent communication with your child about what their online activities are would be my message,” Lam says. “These things can be discussed within the family and not a secret.”